USA > Pennsylvania > Genealogical and family history of the Wyoming and Lackawanna Valleys, Pennsylvania, Volume II > Part 113
USA > Wyoming > Genealogical and family history of the Wyoming and Lackawanna Valleys, Pennsylvania, Volume II > Part 113
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HON. JOHN J. SHONK, who at the time of his death was one of the oldest and most highly respected citizens of Plymouth, was born in Hope, New Jersey, March 21, 1815, a son of Michael and Beulah (Jenks) Shonk. He came of Ger- man ancestry in the paternal line, and was of Welsh lineage on the mother's side, tracing his ancestry back to the year 900. His grandparents, John and Dorothy (Rosky) Shonk, were natives of Germany. His father, Michael Shonk, was born on the ocean, while his parents were voyag- ing to America. They landed in September, 1790, and settled in Hope, Warren county, New Jersey, with a Moravian community. There they reared their family, and there Michael was educated and married. In 1821 he and his wife located in Ply- mouth, Pennsylvania, where they passed the re- mainder of their lives. Their family consisted of four girls and four boys, John J. being the second child in order of birth, and the eldest son.
John J. Shonk was put to work in the coal mines as soon as he was large enough to be at all useful, and he followed this calling until he was sixteen years old, gaining an intimate prac- tical knowledge of all departments of mining work. He then gave his attention to other pur- suits, such as work on boats, public edifices and road construction, and railroad building. In 1854 lie embarked in business on his own account, and at intervals was engaged as lumberman and in the tannery business. Later he gave his entire atten- tion to the operation of coal properties, and came to be recognized as one of the large coal operators of his day. He was president and manager of the soft coal mines of the Williams Coal Company and the Cabin Creek Kanawha Coal Company, both in West Virginia, and conducted both, transacting an immense business and affording employment to four hundred men. He also be- came largely interested in railroad affairs, hold- ing financial interest and official position with the Kanawha Railroad Company of West Vir- ginia, and the Wilkes-Barre & Harvey's Lake Railroad Company of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsyl- vania. He accumulated a handsome estate, at the same time preserving an unsullied reputation as a man of sterling integrity. He was ever a sym- pathizing friend of the laboring man, kind and
generous almost to a fault, and ever free and liberal in his aid to any worthy cause. A man of broad intelligence and much public spirit, he was called at various times to positions of trust in which he served the community with signal ability and integrity. He rendered efficient serv- ice as a member of the school board of the borough of Plymouth for several years. In 1874 he was elected to the state legislature to represent the county of Luzerne, and acquitted himself with so much usefulness and credit that by successive re-elections his term of office was extended to a period of four years. His political affiliations were with the Republican party, and he was known as a zealous and forceful exponent of its principles and policies. In religion he was a Methodist, and was for some years chairman of the board of trustees of the church with which he was identified. He was a prominent Odd Fel- low, a charter member of Eli Lodge, No. 642, of Plymouth, and also a member of the Encampment of the same beneficent order.
Mr. Shonk was three times married. His first wife was Elizabeth, daughter of Ebenezer Chamberlin, M. D., and a native of Cheshire county, New Hampshire. His second wife was Frances, daughter of Carpenter C. Rinus, of Ply- mouth. January 31, 1847, Mr. Shonk married for his third wife, Amanda, daughter of Thomas Davenport, and of French and Dutch descent. She was born in Plymouth, September 16, 1819, and died December 8, 1892, aged seventy-three years. Her husband long survived her, and died May 1, 1904, aged eighty-nine years, and their re- mains rest side by side in Shawnee cemetery. Their children were as follows: 1. Albert D., born October 14, 1847. ( see sketch). 2. Hon. George W., born April 26, 1850, died August 14, 1900 ; he was a lawyer by profession, and served a terin as member of congress. 3. Elizabeth, born July 24, 1852, who became the wife of E. F. Stevens, now deceased, of whom see sketch. 4. Clara, born August 28, 1855, who became the wife of C. W. McAlarney, now deceased, of whom see sketch. The portrait of Hon. John J. Shonk, which appears in this work, was placed herein by his children: Albert D. Shonk, Eliza- beth (Mrs. E. F. Stevens), and Clara ( Mrs. Charles W. McAlarney). H. E. H.
ALBERT D. SHONK, a real estate dealer of Plymouth, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, was born there October 14, 1847, eldest son of John J. and Amanda (Davenport) Shonk. He spent his early life in Plymouth, and was edu- cated in its public schools and at Wyoming Semi-
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THE WYOMING AND LACKAWANNA VALLEYS.
nary. At the age of twenty-one years he en- gaged with his father in the brick-making busi- ness, the firin name being John J. Shonk. In 1870 Albert D. succeeded to the business and con- tinted the same until 1875. The following year hie associated himself with the Ruggles & Shonk Lumber Company and the Beaver Run Tanning Company, acting in the capacity of superintend- ent for about ten years. In 1885 he embarked in the real estate business in Plymouth, in which he has since continued. He is a capable, thoroughly reliable business man, and has attained good suc- cess in this enterprise. In the same year (1885) he became connected with the Stevens Coal Com- pany as partial owner, and still retains his in- terest. This corporation has its head of opera- tion in West Virginia, and is a successful en- terprise.
Albert D. Shonk married. March 4. 1868. Miss Sarah Hershberger, a daughter of David and Elizabeth (Singer) Hershberger, now of Plymouth, formerly of Dauphin county. David Hershberger was by occupation a contractor, and followed this in Plymouth. To Mr. and Mrs. Shonk were born the following children : I. Fannie, August 20, 1869. 2. Edward, December 22, 1874 ; he is superintendent in the Stevens Coal Company of West Virginia. 3. Mabel, born Oc- tober 27. 1876. 4. John J., April 6, 1878, ship- ping clerk in the Stevens Coal Company. 5. William, July 9. 1880, who is employed by the Stevens Coal Company as electrician. The death of Mrs. Shonk occurred February 5. 1884, when she was thirty-three years of age. She is buried in Shawnee cemetery. Albert D. Shonk mar- ried for his second wife, February 10, 1886, Miss Elizabeth Nesbitt. daughter of James Madison and Jane (Ackley) Nesbitt, of Chase ( formerly Brown's Corners), near Huntsville, Pennsylvania. H. E. H.
ELIBEAS FELLOWS STEVENS, de- ceased, who was a prominent factor in the coal industry in the Wyoming Valley, was born in New Columbus, near Shickshinny, Pennsylvania, February 5. 1846, the son of Benjamin Miller and Mary ( Fellows) Stevens, residents of Cam- bria, Pennsylvania.
Benjamin Miller Stevens was born January 31, 1815. He followed the quiet but useful oc- cupation of a farmer, as had his father before him. Politically he was a stanch supporter of the Democratic party, and in church relations affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal faith, at- tending church in New Columbus. March 10, 1836, he was married to Mary Fellows, born May
29. 1815, daughter of Elibeas Andreas and Mary (Smith) Fellows, who were the parents of seven children : Hulda, Amanda, Harriet, Mary, El- mira, Alfred and Abiel, all married and residing in different parts of the country. Of these child- ren Alfred lives in Chicago, Illinois, and has a son and son-in-law, who are both eminent phy- sicians.
Benjamin and Mary Stevens had the following children : 1. Elmira, born December 9, 1836, died October 1, 1898; she was the wife of William Andrews and mother of four children: Ida, Ar- thur, Leon and Harold,whose home is in New Co- lumbus. 2.Francis, born December 9, 1838, died November 2. 1881 ; wife of Isaac K. Appleman, deceased : they had one daughter, Anna, also de- ceased ; they resided in Bloomsburg. 3. Sally, born February 2. 1841, died November 6, 1871 : she married Russell R. Pealer, and had two child- ren : Anna and Matie : the family resided at Three Rivers, Michigan. 4. Abiel, born May 31, 1843. died February 25. 1892 : his wife was Celia Creveling, who now resides in Hazelton : they had following children: Walter, deceased ; A]- fred, married Edith Lutz, and had five children : they reside in Wilkes-Barre : and Benjamin, who married Lucinda Moon, and who lives with his wife and son Donald in Hazelton. 5. Amanda Chapin, born August 25, 1848, died November 28, 1874 : she married Russell R. Pealer. and they live in Three Rivers, Michigan, where her hus- band is now judge. 6. Elibeas Fellows, men- tioned hereafter. 7. Minerva Permelia, born November 22, 1850, unmarried and lives at New Columbus. 8. Zebulon Hall, born January 10, 1854 : married Frances Hess of New Columbus, and their children are : Florence, mar- ried Arthur Phillips and lives in Berwick : Carl, married Grace Burns and lives in New Colum- bus. Benjamin Miller Stevens, the father of the above children, died June 9, 1890. His wife sur- vived him two years, passing away on February 20, 1892.
Elibeas Fellows Stevens, sixth child of Ben- jamin and Mary Stevens, attended the common schools of his native place, and later Columbus Academy. Early in life he engaged in farm- ing, which occupation he followed with consid- erable success until his twenty-fifth year, when he removed to Plymouth, Pennsylvania, where he was superintendent of No. 12 Dodson mine for five years. In 1876 he severed his connection with this company, and assumed charge of the Nottingham mines, acting as superintendent un- til 1889. In that year he removed to West Vir- ginia, locating near Charlestown, and was en-
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THE WYOMING AND LACKAWANNA VALLEYS.
gaged as superintendent of the Stevens Coal Company until 1898. In the above named posi- tion Mr. Stevens discharged his duties with credit, and at all times was held in great respect by his superiors. Besides his other varied busi- ness interests he was part owner and director of the following concerns : Stevens Coal Company, the Kanawha Coal and Coke Company, and the Shonk Garrison Coal Company, all located near Charlestown, West Virginia. At the first named of these Mr. Stevens opened the mine and it was named for him. In political matters Mr. Stevens always strongly defended the principles of the Democratic party, and was deeply interested in all party affairs. He held membership in the Knights of Pythias.
September 30, 1874. Elibeas Fellows Stevens was married to Miss Elizabeth Davenport Shonk, of Plymouth, who was born July 24, 1852, the daughter of John J. Shonk. ( See sketch). They were the parents of four children : Jay, born Feb- ruary 4. 1877, in Plymouth, who obtained his carly education in the common schools of Ply- mouth, later attending Dean Academy, Massa- chusetts ; Buckhannon Seminary, West Virginia ; and Wyoming Seminary, Kingston, Pennsyl- vania. He married Miss Monica Utz, of Cov- ington, Kentucky, February 4, 1903, and had one child, Jay Jr. 2. Mary, born May 21, 1878, Ply- mouth, died July 8, 1878. 3. Helen, born August 19, 1883. Plymouth, died September 21, 1883. 4. Forrest Garrison, born May 20, 1890, Fairfield, West Virginia. He is now a student at Wyom- ing Seminary.
Elibeas Fellows Stevens died at his home in New Columbus, April 2, 1898. He was a useful, honored citizen and had always led an exemplary life. . His generous hospitable disposition had won for him a wide circle of friends, who sin- cerely mourned his death. Ifis portrait, which appears in this work, was placed there by his de- voted widow as a mark of affectionate regard to his memory. H. E. H.
CHARLES WESLEY McALARNEY. The McAlarney family, representatives of which have been prominently identified with Pennsylvania history for nearly a century, and with that of the Wyoming Valley for a score and a half years, originated in Ireland and was of good old county Longford stock. The immigrant ancestor of the American branch of the family was John McAlarney, born December 8. 1805, in the parish of Streat, county Longford, Ireland. He came to America in 1819 and settled in Harrisburg, Penn- sylvania, where his young manhood was spent
and where he acquired a practical education. He began his career in life as a school teacher, and subsequently engaged in manufacturing pur- suits, chiefly in the lumber business. Mr. Mc- Alarney removed from Harrisburg to the vicin- ity of Milton, Pennsylvania, later to Selins- grove, Pennsylvania, and subsequently to Mifflin- burg, Pennsylvania where his death occurred May 17, 1876. Mr. McAlarney married Cath- arine Wilson, who survived him. She was born in Donegal township, Lancaster county, Penn- sylvania. daughter of Thomas Wilson, and granddaughter of Thomas Wilson, who was a native of Hagerstown, Maryland, and a repre- sentative of one of the old families of that state. Thomas Wilson ( father) was born in Hagers- town, Maryland, removed from thence to Done- gal township, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and subsequently took up his residence in Eliza- bethtown, same county, where his death oc- curred. The children of John and Catharine (Wilson) Mc.Alarney were : Joseph Curtin, died 1897: Mary C., a resident of Mifflinburg ; Ros- anna, also a resident of Mifflinburg: Matthias Wilson, died December 5. 1900; Dr. William Maxwell, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Mrs. Jerry Rockey, of Dubois, Pennsylvania : Charles Wesley, mentioned hereafter; and Emma, died in early life. The mother of these children died February, 1891.
Charles Wesley McAlarney, son of John and Catharine ( Wilson) McAlarney, was born in Mifflinburg. Union county, Pennsylvania, De- cember 20, 1847. After acquiring an elementary education in the public schools of Mifflinsburg, he entered the then flourishing Mifflinburg Acad- emy, pursuing a four years course at that insti- tution. After leaving the academy he was for one year engaged in the mercantile business in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, at the end of that time entering the profession of teaching, in which he engaged for the following six years. He then went to Harrisburg, becoming a student of law in the office of Joseph C. McAlarnev, his elder brother. and receiving the benefit of the advice and wide knowledge of that attorney, recognized for years as one of the most eloquent pleaders of causes at the Dauphin county bar. 'After two years of study he passed the Dauphin county bar examinations May 13, 1873, with credit to him- self and his adviser, and was attached to the Harrisburg office of his brother. Joseph C. Mc- Alarney, his preceptor, until 1875, when he re- moved to Luzerne county. Pennsylvania, and opened an office of his own in Plymouth. He was admitted to the bar of Luzerne county February
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7. 1876. He soon became widely known not only among the legal fraternity of his own county, but throughout the state. His practice frequently called him to argue cases before the bars of other counties, in the supreme court of Pennsylvania, and also before the benches of other states. Reared by his perceptor according to the strict- est code of legal ethics, he possessed, in addition to the happy gift of personal charm, quickness and comprehensiveness of mentality, and this, aided by an easy diction of culture and wide read- ing, made his legal arguments and political speeches models of lucid and eloquent utterance. He was one of the sound lawyers and safe coun- sellors of Luzerne county, also one of its most influential and public-spirited citizens. Twenty years ago Mr. Kulp, in commenting on Mr. McAlarney's qualities as a lawyer, said: "He is a safe counsellor and zealous advocate, with the result of securing to himself the advantage of a large and constantly increasing clientage." His temperament is of the conservative order, modi- fied by only so much of the sanguine as is neces- sary to the vigorous prosecution of all work de- liberately undertaken. To the client who trusts him he is the soul of faithfulness, a fact which accounts in great part for the lucrative practice he has been enabled to build up in Plymouth and vicinity, and the gratifying success that attended his efforts in the courts." Had Mr. Kulp's sen- timents been penned two decades later, he could not have changed his estimate of the worth of him of whom he wrote, but he might have added to what was then said and known. Mr. McAlar- ney was an old-school Democrat, ill health alone causing him to refuse an elevation to the bench in Luzerne county. He was in the front rank of the orators sought after by the Democratic state committee to take the stiup in the closer campaigns, and to throw in the ballot balance the weight of his convincing personality.
Mr. McAlarney married, May 27, 1886, Clara R. Shouk, a daughter of the late John J. and Amanda (Davenport ) Shonk. Two children were born to them: John, who died in infancy at Mifflinburg : and Helen Amanda. After return- ing to his home in Plymouth from an extended western trip, taken with the hope that benefit to health would result therefrom, Mr. McAlarney died October 1, 1904. He was laid to rest in Mifflinburg, in accordance with his own request, he having maintained a steadfast affection for the place of his birth throughout his entire life, be- ing accustomed to spend a part of each summer at his old home, which has been the scene of
many reunions of the family, and which is now occupied by Misses Rose and Mary McAlarney. The funeral services in Plymouth were con- ducted by Rev. Dr. Bradshaw, of the Methodist Episcopal church, and at Mifflinburg the services at the house and the grave were conducted by Rev. W. C. Hesser, a lifelong friend of Mr. Mc- Alarney, assisted by Rev. Vaughn T. Rue, pas- tor of the Mifflinburg Methodist Episcopal church. Few men have had more genuine friends, to whom the news of his death came as a real grief, and the names of those to whom he lent a gladly helping hand in moments of need and distress might be written by scores. His portrait which appears in this work has been placed there by his widow in loving remembrance 'of his many virtues, and will, it is believed, be a source of pleasure to all who knew him.
H. E. H.
THOMAS JEROME CHASE, of Wilkes- Barre, Pennsylvania, a worthy son of worthy sires, and a scion of an old New England family, is a member of the legal profession. He traces his ancestry to the pioneer settlers of New Eng- land, men who founded a nation in the face of difficulties and dangers which would have de- terred those of less heroic mould.
Gorton Chase, grandfather of Thomas J. Chase, was a native of Rhode Island. He took up a farm in Abington, Lackawanna county, Pennsylvania, which is still in the possession of the family. He married Freelove Potter, who bore him ten children, all of whom grew up to be strong and robust men and women, and one of them, Mrs. A. W. Gardner, is living at the pres- ent time (1906), aged seventy years. Mr. and Mrs. Chase, whose deaths occurred in 1835 and 1858, respectively, were old Puritan Baptists in religion.
Elisha W. Chase, father of Thomas J. Chase, was a native of East Greenwich, Kent county, Rhode Island. During his early childhood he re- moved with his parents to Abington, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania. He was a farmer by oc- cupation. He held membership in the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows. He married Welthea Phillips, daughter of Thomas and Betsey (Phelps) (nee Patterson) Phillips, the former named a native of Bath, England, born February 22, 1769, died in Abington, 1842, and the latter a native of Litchfield, Connecticut, born in 1781. died in Benton 1848. Six children were the issue of this union, three of whom are living : Thomas Jerome, see forward; Mrs. E. V. Slocum, of
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THE WYOMING AND LACKAWANNA VALLEYS.
Lackawanna county, Pennsylvania, and Mrs. Sarah Simerell. Elisha W. Chase died at Ben- ton, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, 1862, aged forty-nine years. His wife died in 1856, aged thirty-three years.
Thomas J. Chase, son of Elisha W. and Welthea ( Phillips) Chase, was born in Benton township, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, May 26, 1844. He first attended the common schools of Benton, then a select school in the same township for two years, and then Madison Academy, Waverly, Pennsylvania, where he completed his studies. During the summer seasons he assisted with the labors of the farm and house. During 1863 he taught school in his home town, and dur- ing 1864 and 1865 in Dutchess county, New York. The following year he entered upon the study of law in the offices of A. H. Winton and A. A. Chase, at Scranton, and after passing a creditable examination was admitted to the Luzerne county bar, November 12, 1866. He then entered the office of the late E. S. M. Hill, then mayor of Seranton, remaining until April, 1867, when he removed to Nicholson, Wyoming county, Pennsylvania, where he practiced his pro- fession until 1876, a period of nine years, and then finally settled in Wilkes-Barre, where he is now attending to a large clientage. He is among the oldest members of the bar of Luzerne county. While a resident of Nicholson he was elected and served as a justice of the peace : he still has in his possession his commission signed by John F. Hartranft, then governor of Pennsylvania. He was also one of the school directors of that borough, and his incumbency of both offices was noted for faithfulness and fidelity to duty.
Mr. Chase is a Democrat in politics. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows, in which he takes an active part, having joined the same in 1874. He has held all the offices in the subordinate lodge and taken part in the affairs of the grand lodge. He is president of the board of directors of the Odd Fellows Home Association, which in 1905 erected the magnificent building at No. 21 South Franklin street, at a cost of $53,000. In this enterprise Mr. Chase took a very active and prominent part. In August, 1862, Mr. Chase enlisted as a member of Company B, One Hundred and Thirty-second Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, participated in the battle of Antietam, and was mustered out at the expiration of his term of service in May, 1863.
Mr. Chase married, September 10, 1874, Czarena A. Reynolds, daughter of S. P. and
Euphemia ( Thomas) Reynolds, of Benton, Penn- sylvania. Mr. Reynolds was a farmer, and died at his home in Benton. They were the parents of three children: Czarena A., wife of Thomas J. Chase : James C., of Scranton ; and Grant, who resides on the old homestead. Mrs. Reynolds died in 1864. One child was born to Mr. and Mrs. Chase-Giles, who died in 1879 at the age of four years. Mrs. Chase is a member of the Universalist Church, in which she takes a very active part. Mr. Chase attends the services of the same church, and is a member of the board of trustees of the state convention of that de- nomination. H. E. H.
THE RICE FAMILY. One of the oldest and one of the best representatives of the Rice family in this part of Pennsylvania, of the par- ticular line under consideration here, was Cap- tain Jacob Rice, late of Dallas, so many years a real part of the history of that township in its do- mestie life and in its civil and military affairs.
This Rice family was of German extraction, and it is said that Captain Jacob's grandfather fled from Germany to escape compulsory military service ; he came to America and settled in New Jersey. This American ancestor, Christopher Riis, or Rice, was the father of Christon Rice. who in 1812, with his wife, Sarah McFarron. made his way into the Wyoming country in Penn- sylvania, and located first at Truckville, Kingston township, and afterwards in Dallas, where he was almost a pioneer. Christon Rice was born in New Jersey, December 12, 1780, and his wife. Sarah AlcFarron, was born there February 20. 1780. He was a mechanic, a wagon maker by trade, and could turn his hand to any kind of me- chanical work. He was a saw miller. too, and lumberman, and like all early settlers in Dallas. cleared up land for farming purposes, shipping the logs and lumber to markets down the Susque- hanna ; and this same Christon Rice built a water power mill in Dallas, which is said to have been the first of its kind in the township, He was a persevering, industrious man, honest in his deal- ings, and was generally respected. He lived to his eighty-fifth year, and reared a family of three children.
Captain Jacob Rice, the youngest of three chil- dren, was born in Dallas, June 16, 1817, and died there, March 6, 1892. He was during his long and active life one of the foremost men in the town's affairs. He was at first a farmer and lumberman, later a merchant, then a hotel keeper. having built the Lake Grove House at that popu-
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lar resort, Harvey's Lake. It is said, too, that Captain Rice occupied the first painted house in Dallas, and also that his was the first spring wagon used in the town. He always was inter- ested in military matters, and as early as 1839 was first lieutenant of the One Hundred and Fif- teenth Regiment of Pennsylvania militia. On August 20, 1849, he was commissioned captain of the Dallas artillery ; in 1857 was made lieuten- ant-colonel of Colonel Rhodes' regiment of state militia ; on May 1, 1861, when there was indeed a "state of war," he was appointed quarter-mas- ter of the Fifteenth Pennsylvania Volunteer In- fantry, and on October 12, 1861, was quarter- master of the Fifty-third Pennsylvania Volun- teers. His war record was in every way com- mendable and won for him warm compliments from commanding officers. He was recom- mended for promotion, but declined the honor. Politically Captain Rice was a Republican; in religion a Methodist, and a trustee of that society in Dallas. He was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic.
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